April 6, 2023

What Does Pardoned Mean

Mention the name Watergate to someone and most likely you will elicit some type of response, usually negative. The Watergate break-in and subsequent political scandal that brought about President Richard Nixon’s resign occurred nearly 25 years ago; yet for some people it just as well could have happened yesterday.

It is amazing to discover that the affects of Watergate are still fresh in some people’s minds. Many people believe that Nixon should have stood trial and went to jail. Likewise some people believe Gerald Ford was wrong and criminal in pardoning Nixon: thus preventing a trial. Few events in recent American political history elicit such a response. It is not my intention to pass judgment on Nixon or Ford or to revisit Watergate. Instead it is my intention to glean something useful from Watergate.

2006 is now behind us and most people have tallied the past year’s gains and losses. It’s just a natural thing we humans do. Who got married, who had kids, who graduated from High School or College, who died, do I weigh more or less than a year ago, and I’m How Old! Humans tend to take notice of losses more than gains. Perhaps this year is no exception. I recently read the roll call of notable deaths in 2006; a list of people who had some impact upon the world we live in. Among the list are actors, singers, politicians, criminals, dictators and despots, journalists and writers, and former President Gerald Ford.

Ford was America’s 40th Vice President (1973–1974) and 38th President (1974–1977) of the United States. He holds the distinction of being the first person appointed to the vice presidency, under the terms of the 25th Amendment, and upon succession to the presidency, became the only person (thus far) to hold that office without having been elected either president or vice president. Prior to becoming vice president, Ford served for over eight years as the Republican Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. He became Vice President after the resignation of Nixon’s Vice President Spiro Agnew. Agnew resigned on October 10th, 1973 then pleads nolo contendere (no contest) to criminal charges of tax evasion and money laundering. Nixon nominated Ford for Vice President and he was quickly confirmed by the Senate and the House. Less than a year later on August 9th, 1974 President Richard Nixon resigned: another casualty of the Watergate Scandal . Less than a month into assuming the presidency Gerald Ford made the most controversial decision of his presidency. The nation was consumed by Watergate and the federal government was nearly paralyzed. Ford realized Nixon’s resignation would not make Watergate go away quickly. He realized the country had to somehow put the entire Watergate Affair behind and move on. Ford believed that Watergate would drag on through the courts for several more years and would continue to divide America unless someone ended it: and he concluded he was the one with the power to end it.

On September 8th, 1974 he pardoned Nixon. Some people have alleged that Ford struck a deal with Nixon that if Nixon would resigned that he (Ford) would pardon him. Ford has always vehemently denied this allegation. Some of Nixon’s critics contend that Nixon got away with his role in the Watergate scandal without any admission of guilt. On the surface this may appear so but a careful examination of what constitutes a pardon may prove otherwise. The crux of the pardon given to Nixon is as follows: “Now, Therefore, I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9,1974.”

The right of a sovereign ruler to grant a full and unconditional pardon is practically as old as recorded history. The framers of the Constitution brought the concept of pardons with them from England, which adapted the idea from Roman tradition. Section II, Article 2 of the Constitution says the president “shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” In 1914 a question of law concerning a presidential pardon was brought before the U.S. Supreme Court. The issue before the court was: can the president issue a pardon for offenses a person may have committed but not yet criminally charged; and does a person have a right to reject a presidential pardon not asked for? “The court ruled that a pardon is an act of grace, proceeding from the power entrusted with the execution of the laws, which exempts the individual on whom it is bestowed from the punishment the law inflicts for a crime he has committed.”… “A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered; and if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him” (Burdick v. U S 236 U.S. 79 (1915).

The Court ruled that the president has the prerogative to pardon anyone without being petitioned to do so and before a criminal conviction occurs. In order for a pardon to be valid, the Court ruled, it must be accepted by the person it was conferred upon. However, for one to accept a pardon… carries an imputation of guilt; acceptance a confession of it.” In other words a person can be pardoned without asking for a pardon, and a person can be pardoned for crimes he/she has yet to be convicted of. However the mere acceptance of a pardon carries with it—implied guilt. In short, when someone accepts a pardon that person is in fact saying: “I am guilty.” A pardon is not intended for, neither is given to, the guiltless: but rather given to the guilty!

In Christ we receive not only a pardon but justification. A pardon is an act of a sovereign. Unfortunately it does not expunge one’s crime, guilt, or record. It cannot restore honor or etc. A pardon merely sets aside the penalty. As in the case of sin, the penalty for sin is death…for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Ro 6:23).

Christ is our intercessor and his death sealed our pardon. Pardons are usually sought by an intercessor on behalf of the condemned. Someone approaches the sovereign on behalf of the guilty and makes a case for a pardon. Justification is the act of a judge, and not of a sovereign. Justification includes pardon and, at the same time, a title to all the rewards and blessings promised in the covenant of life…but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God (1Co 6:11). Not only has Christ secured our pardon but also our justification. Justification expunges the record. Justified by faith is often characterized as just-if-I’d never sinned. Christ took all of our sins—past, present, and future—and washed them away with his blood…Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot (1Pe. 1:18-19).

Gerald Ford with his pardoning of Nixon helped America move on from Watergate yet it cost him immensely politically; likewise Jesus Christ paid a greater price to secure our pardon and restoration. You don’t have to ask God for a pardon. Christ has secured your pardon and the record has been expunged (Ro. 5:6-10). The acceptance of the pardon is by faith. We are saved by faith in Christ’s atoning blood (work). Will you or have you accepted God’s pardon? The pardon comes from…him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Rev. 1:4-6).

—God’s Peace and Blessing.